Chapter 05: Top-notch Assist

Chapter 05: Top-notch Assist

After Li Mingzhi finished speaking, his three older brothers were all stunned.

Knowing what they were worried about, Li Mingzhi added obediently, “If you’re not at ease, let Butler Jing accompany me.”

Jing Butler, who was pondering if there were any other angst points in the story, was startled. “What?”

What did this have to do with him?

The butler has field duties now?

“Butler Jing,” said Li Wenzhao, “go with him tomorrow.”

The young butler was quite sharp, with lively inner thoughts, and even the ability to foresee the future. Accompanying Li Mingzhi outside gave him peace of mind.

Jing Butler: “Oh.”

The client comes first.

No field duty, no paycheck.

Jing Butler muttered to himself for comfort. The Li brothers dispersed, and Butler Jing returned to the butler’s quarters, unfamiliar with his surroundings.

Opening the door, Jing Butler felt a sense of relief.

The room was large, and the bed was soft, capable of wrapping a person up like a tender sesame ball.

Happily, he bounced on the bed like a soft sesame ball for a while, tiring himself out and also getting hungry.

He realized he hadn’t settled on dinner yet.

He immediately got up from the bed and headed to the kitchen in the Li family mansion from memory.

Passing by the living room, Jing Butler heard some conversation.

“Li Wenzhao’s home is very elegant and beautiful,” said a capable and tactful female voice, “It’s my first time visiting. It’s truly eye-opening.”

Li Wenzhao: “You flatter me. Ms. Qin, are you here to discuss the project today? Why not get straight to the point?”

Ms. Qin?

Wasn’t she Li Wenzhao’s childhood friend who had secretly admired him for more than a decade? Unfortunately, in the later part of the story, she was rejected. Li Wenzhao, who had hidden romantic tendencies, chose a malicious woman and was schemed against terribly.

Jing Butler tsked softly.

Even top executives aren’t always as perceptive as they seem.

Not wanting to interrupt her as she tried to build a positive impression, Jing Butler quietly slipped into the kitchen. It seemed that the young masters of the Li family had already eaten; there were no signs of recent cooking in the kitchen.

After rummaging through the cabinets, Jing Butler found a plate of small pastries. There was also a dish of fragrant braised pork.

Jing Butler eagerly took out a bowl and chopsticks and tasted it.

Absolutely delicious!

It was tender, fragrant, and not greasy.

He reached for another piece.

In the living room, Li Wenzhao was reviewing the cooperation agreement that Ms. Qin had brought, calculating the preliminary costs and feasibility in his mind...

"Mmm, mmm, mmm, this braised pork is amazing (chew chew chew), so delicious I'm crying (chew chew chew), gotta have another piece (chew chew chew), give the Li family's chef a big thumbs up!"

Li Wenzhao frowned. "...??"

Does the young butler's strange ability have no distance limit, allowing him to be heard from so far away?

And... where was I in my calculations just now?

Seeing that Li Wenzhao's expression wasn't great, Qin Wan's heart raced. "Mr. Li, is there a problem with the contract?"

Li Wenzhao snapped out of it. "No."

He exhaled softly, his eyes returning to the document, focusing...

"The texture is so chewy (chew chew chew), I want another plate, but I'm too full (burp—)"

"But will the pastries go bad by tomorrow... Eh, one more bite won't hurt (burp). I'm stuffed."

"..."

Li Wenzhao put down the file and dialed an internal phone line to the kitchen. It took a while for someone to pick up, and the voice on the other end sounded thoroughly satisfied. "...Hello?"

Li Wenzhao was direct. "Jing Yi, come to the living room."

Jing Yi wiped his mouth. "To do... burp... what?"

Li Wenzhao: "..."

Li Wenzhao's train of thought, which had taken effort to gather, was nearly derailed by another burp. "Bring some food over for Ms. Qin."

Jing Yi: "Oh."

Qin Wan smiled politely. "Mr. Li, you're too kind. But I don't eat much in the evenings."

"No worries," said Li Wenzhao. "Our chef is excellent. Feel free to take some home if you like."

Just as long as the young butler doesn't sneak any more food.

Five minutes later, Jing Yi slowly emerged with a plate of pastries. "Ms. Qin, please try the pastries that the eldest young master specially—prepared—for you."

Li Wenzhao: "..."

What's with the dramatic tone?

Li Wenzhao gave him a questioning look, puzzled.

Jing Yi responded with a meaningful smile. "Leave it to me. I'll make sure she has a great time."

Li Wenzhao: "..."

Jing Yi had it all figured out.

Why did Li Wenzhao call him to the living room during their 'date' to be a third wheel?

The answer was simple.

He needed a wingman, of course.

The future partner for Li Wenzhao is a vicious and mischievous little witch, who harbors immense power that could destroy the Li family. If Li Wenzhao’s romance started sooner and found the right person, wouldn't it be possible to peacefully overcome the future crisis?

Jing Yi is willing to be this matchmaker.

Qin Wan looked at the delicately flower-shaped pastries in front of her, calculated the calories and her intake for the day, then gently picked one up, her eyes slightly bright: "Thank you, Mr. Li."

Li Wenzhao gave a superficial smile: "Ms. Qin, no need to be polite."

With the assist done, Jing Yi prepared to leave as the romantic mood had been set.

"Jing Butler."

Jing Yi stopped in his tracks: "Yep~"

Li Wenzhao: "Don't go yet."

Stay a little longer; this is your punishment for talking nonsense.

Jing Yi: "Oh."

Understood, I need to do a better job assisting.

For a while, Li Wenzhao silently read through documents, Ms. Qin stole glances at the working man under the guise of eating pastries, and Jing Yi boredly counted how many wilted floral patterns were on the floor.

Jing Yi waited and waited but didn't receive any signal from Li Wenzhao for further assistance, his legs going numb from standing.

Finally, just before his leg cramped, Qin Wan seemed to choke on a bite.

Li Wenzhao: "Jing Butler—"

"Got it." Jing Yi stomped his now-numb legs, and in a whirlwind, dashed away.

Li Wenzhao: "..."

What did he understand?

Jing Yi rushed into the kitchen like a gust of wind, poured a refreshing glass of lemon water to clear the richness of the pastries.

He returned to the living room, and just as he passed the sofa, he almost tripped and did a somersault.

Fortunately, he grabbed the sofa armrest in time, avoiding spilling the lemon water on Qin Wan's face.

Jing Yi patted his chest, trying to calm his racing heart.

For some reason, Li Wenzhao was reminded of a few hours earlier when Jing Yi executed a flawless sliding tackle in front of Ning Jiang.

Li Wenzhao slowly retracted his gaze, a barely noticeable smile forming at the corner of his lips.

A clumsy young butler.

This was what happened when you talk without thinking.

"Clink."

The glass gently tapped the table. Jing Yi stared at Li Wenzhao.

Li Wenzhao: "?"

"Ms. Qin," Jing Yi said with a smiling face, "you're the first woman Mr. Li has ever brought home. I haven't seen him smile so happily in a long time."

Qin Wan: “……”

That's some old-fashioned literature.

Li Wenzhao's smile froze at the corner of his mouth: “……”

Jing Yi: “……”

His toes curled in embarrassment at such an awkward comment.

He must be a dedicated NPC to say something like that.

"Jing Butler," Li Wenzhao forced down his patience, “…you may leave now.”

"Oh, okay."

Job done, Jing Yi scratched the floor with his toes, walking away stiffly.

Being an NPC is not easy.

Being an NPC means doing all kinds of jobs and saying all sorts of things.

After a hearty meal, Jing Yi took a quick shower and fell into bed. This burnt-out college student was ready to crash.

·

·

The next morning, Jing Yi was jolted awake by Li Mingzhi, who was shaking him, and the light bulb above him was blurry from his groggy vision.

"Jing Butler, get up quick!" Li Mingzhi grabbed his shoulders and shook him, "Ning Jiang reached out to me again, he's at the hospital now. We need to go quickly."

Jing Yi, shaken to the point of almost vomiting, hurriedly pressed down on his hands, "If you keep shaking me, I’m going to puke."

Li Mingzhi let go apologetically, "Oh, sorry."

Jing Yi swallowed back the nausea and asked drowsily, "What time is it now?"

"6:30 in the morning."

Jing Yi was stunned: “！！”

Six! Thirty!

This unreasonable employer can’t even drag himself out of bed by 8 a.m.!

"Do we really need to rush, young master?" Jing Yi said lifelessly, "Ning Jiang is there, he's not going to run away."

"I can't wait," Li Mingzhi said, "You guys all said he’s a fraud, I need to confirm the truth myself."

Unable to resist Li Mingzhi's persistence, Jing Yi changed into a simple and honest outfit, dragging his half-asleep self out the door with him.

As they passed the living room, Jing Yi felt a chill run down his spine, as if someone was hiding in the corner, coldly staring at him.

?

Jing Yi turned his head.

Li Xu was reading a financial newspaper on the sofa, Li Ting was having breakfast, and Li Wenzhao, who had just gone on a date yesterday, looked like he had a permanent frown.

Jing Yi quickly figured it out.

"What, didn't the date go well? No wonder you're in such a bad mood."

Li Xu looked up.

Li Ting snorted.

Only the eldest young master, Li Wenzhao, like an ice-cold superhero, gave a frosty glare.

Jing Yi shuddered and hurriedly grabbed the young master and ran.

Li Wenzhao: "..."

After the two disappeared through the door, Li Ting put down his knife and fork and laughed for a good while, "Brother, how did Jing Butler even think you and Qin Wan were a couple, and why is he so eager to play matchmaker?"

Li Wenzhao, not wanting to explain the misunderstanding from last night, said lightly, "What you should be concerned about now is whether Li Mingzhi will go missing."

If anything happens, Jing Butler won't be able to control a frantic Li Mingzhi.

"Brother, no need to worry." Li Xu, with full confidence, shook the newspaper, "I've sent bodyguards to follow him. If he dares to run, just grab him and bring him back."

Li Wenzhao: "Hmm."

A few seconds later, Li Xu slowly raised his head, "Brother, who were you on a date with last night?"

"..."

·

·

The hospital where Ning Jiang was staying was a small private hospital. The hospital's entrance faced a narrow street, with wilted plants lining the front. A nearby trash bin, teeming with flies, looked like a miniature landfill.

Li Mingzhi stood at the door, lost in thought for a long time, "Jing Butler."

Jing Yi: "Hmm?"

"Am I being stupid?" Li Mingzhi pointed to the uninviting building in front of him, "He didn't even bother to put effort into deceiving me."

"No, you're not," Jing Yi said seriously.

Li Mingzhi looked at him.

"After being hurt, what you should do is not reflect on yourself, but criticize the person who hurt you," Jing Yi said, "They're the ones who deserve all the blame."

Li Mingzhi looked at him stupidly, "Jing Butler, you look really cool when you say that."

Jing Yi lifted his chin, "The truth always shines through."

The two entered the hospital and were stopped by someone at a reception desk that looked like a hotel front desk, "Who are you looking for?"

Li Mingzhi: "Ning Jiang."

The nurse flipped through the thin medical records, just two pages, and took two minutes to look at them, "Family of the patient? Follow me."

They walked down a dimly lit corridor, passing a room that smelled musty, and the nurse finally led them to their destination, "The patient is in the room. Go in. I must remind you, the patient is currently in a very unstable emotional state, so it's best if the family stays with him more."

Jing Yi recalled that this part wasn't in the original plan.

When the leukemia diagnosis came in, Ning Jiang had already squeezed every last bit of the other assets under Li Mingzhi's name. This fake medical report was designed to scam the company out of its shares.

This time, probably because he didn’t manage to lure anyone away, Ning Jiang couldn’t pull out all the stops and had to advance his plan.

Li Mingzhi pushed the door open, and in the barely furnished hospital room, Ning Jiang lay pale on the bed, his features lacking their usual gentleness and instead giving off a sickly air, making him look like someone on the verge of breaking.

Jing Yi glanced at him and suddenly halted his step as he entered:

"Damn, he didn’t even powder his neck! The color difference is so obvious!"

Li Mingzhi was startled.

Jing Yi tilted his head toward Li Mingzhi: "Young master, look at his neck."

Li Mingzhi: "I saw it."

Jing Yi mimicked a cricket: "He looks like something out of a horror movie."

"..."

"Zhizhi, you're here." Ning Jiang lay on the bed, forcing a weak smile, like a fragile flower trying to stay strong: "I’m so happy."

Li Mingzhi suppressed his emotions and sat down by the bed: "How are you? What did the doctor say?"

Ning Jiang lowered his gaze: "You know leukemia is one of the hardest diseases to cure nowadays. If we can’t find a match for a transplant, I’m afraid... I won’t be able to stay with you until we’re old."

Jing Yi watched his performance coldly.

Li Mingzhi bowed his head, appearing deeply saddened: "No, that won’t happen."

Ning Jiang timely grabbed his hand: "Zhizhi, everyone must die someday, but I’m happy that I got to briefly have you before I go."

Jing Yi got goosebumps and rubbed his arms, feeling creeped out.

"Jiangjiang..." Li Mingzhi wiped his face and looked up, his expression unchanged: "Don’t worry, I’ll definitely cure you. I’ll go back and beg my brother to bring in the best experts from abroad, use the best medicine, blood transfusions, injections, treatments, surgeries, and we’ll definitely cure you."

This bloody description made Ning Jiang’s face turn even paler: "No, Zhizhi, actually... I’m fine here."

"What fine? This place is so bad, it doesn’t match my Jiangjiang at all." Li Mingzhi put on his young master's spoiled attitude: "Don’t worry, Jiangjiang, if I can’t save you, I’ll take everyone down with me!"

Ning Jiang: "Don’t... Zhizhi, I don’t want you to waste your money."

"But I want to spend every penny on you." Li Mingzhi stood up and, when Ning Jiang wasn’t looking, secretly wiped the hand that Ning Jiang had touched: "Jing Butler, let’s go. First, we’ll book a VIP single ward at the central city hospital."

Ning Jiang, unable to voice his distress, said: "Zhizhi, there’s no need, really..."

Jing Yi smiled and played along with Li Mingzhi: "Yes, young master."

"Zhizhi, Zhizhi, wait, Zhizhi!"

Jing Yi and Li Mingzhi left without looking back. After leaving the "hospital," they found a secluded spot to regroup.

Jing Yi thought that after seeing the true face of his beloved, Li Mingzhi would feel some loss and sadness, but he didn’t.

"Jing Butler." Li Mingzhi asked: "Was my performance just now great?"

Jing Yi said: "It was great."

"For the first time, I saw through his act." Li Mingzhi said: "The old me was really stupid."

Jing Yi asked, "So, what's your next move?"

"Since he's just pretending to be sick." Li Mingzhi raised his head and rubbed the redness out of his eyes. "I’ll let him feel what it’s like to be terminally ill—pain, despair, the whole package."

Li Mingzhi looked at Jing Yi. "Jing Yi, you’re with me on this, right?"

Jing Yi nodded resolutely. "Of course."

We’re both from the Li family, so we’re practically family. It’s only right that we stick together.

"Perfect!" Li Mingzhi cheered up immediately. "How about we hit the shops?"

Jing Yi asked, "Right now?"

"Yes." Li Mingzhi looked at his clothes. "You’re too good-looking to be wearing such outdated stuff. Come on, I’ll treat you to some new threads as thanks for hanging out with me today."

Jing Yi’s eyes lit up. "Whoa!""

Li Mingzhi whipped out a black card. "On my brother’s tab!"